Saturday, 29 December 2007

We reached Alappuzha by afternoon through a road which flaunted large green fields on both sides. Alappuzha or Alleppey is famous for backwaters. As a city that runs on tourism, Alappuzha is a decent place to stay for a couple of days. We stayed in. The evening was dedicated to a boat-ride to the lovely backwaters. The boat spends some 2-3 hours completing a round. The houseboats were extremely costly, priced at close to 10k per night, as December was the peak tourist season.

Thursday, 27 December 2007

Periyar is famous for swimming elephants and that is what you should aim for as there is nothing else.

The river safari is difficult to book during peak season in a communist state where price is low and everyone is equal.

Night safari is overhyped and nothing is exciting about it. Classic dancing events are organized which may be worth watching.

We reached Periyar in the noon and could feel the heat and humidity even at the end of December. The cool weather of Munnar and Kodaikanal had seeped in. We stayed in a hotel which was close to the Bus Stand and hence could move around at ease. We first went to Periyar Wildlife Reserve to ask if a safari was possible. There was one night petrol being offered and we booked for three. A part of the evening was spent at Hotel Ambadi which is at the centre. The hotel served beer with food which was more than we expected.

Monday, 24 December 2007

We moved to Munnar after a day stay in Kodaikanal. To reach Munnar in itself is an unforgettable experience. Atleast 20 Km before the place, large estates of tea, coffee and cardamom are visible and as the road meanders through these lush gardens, one has a feeling of sailing in an endless green sea. We stayed in Munnar for three days.

Sunday, 23 December 2007

Kerala trip was a bit more than what the three of us had expected from it. Manish and Vikash were with me. We started with Kodaikanal which is in Tamil Nadu by taking Tuticorin Express from Bangalore to Kodaikanal Road. There we took a bus and in another couple of hours we were inside the hill station. Thanks to online hotel booking on www.cleartrip.com, we quickly settled in our hotel which was just in front of the bus stand.

Coaker's Park, Kodaikanal

The first thing we did was a stroll at Cocker's Park. It is a half a kilometer stretch at the very edge of hill on which Kodaikanal is located. We then booked a cab for a fixed trip of the town for the afternoon. The lake and suicide point were regular features of a hill station. There was a Guna Caves famous for a Rajnikanth movie shoot.

Silent Valley, Kodaikanal

We were particularly impressed with the Silent Valley where we sat for an hour listening to the rumbling of waterfalls and watching the movement of clouds. A nearby waterfall which was completely isolated was invaded by us for the evening. We spent the twilight paddling a boat in the lake. The view of twilight from the middle of the lake was a wallpaper stuff.

Kodai Lake

The next morning we had a sumptuous breakfast at one of the North Indian restaurants. Another excursion took us to Three Pillar viewpoint which is set of massive cliffs. There was not much for us tourists but Kodaikanal is an ideal hill station for people seeking peaceful leisure. We decided to move to Munnar the same day and hence hired a car to cover the 80 miles.

About Me

Life is beautiful. The statement is so profound not because it talks about the life or beauty but because it talks about the present. Life IS beautiful. The present that we live every second, is full of beautiful moments and it takes an attitude to cherish them even when we go through a bad patch now and then. That's my philosophy.